MudCats surveying public interest in return

The owner of the Mississippi MudCats, Jim Waide, has launched an effort to gauge public interest in the team’s future.

At www.tupelofootball.com, the public is invited to take a short survey and leave comments about the prospect of the team’s return.

The MudCats, the second indoor pro football franchise in Tupelo, played two seasons (2007-08) at BancorpSouth Arena, compiling a 24-4 regular season record. The team’s success in attracting a paying crowd was more problematic.

“This team is something that I believe is good for Tupelo,” Waide, a local attorney, said in a statement released Monday. “Now we need to determine if Tupelo thinks it’s good for Tupelo.”

Any effort to bring the team back would aim for the 2012 season. At least one league, the UIFL, has expressed interest in expanding into this market.

Waide has named local athletic trainer Rob Barnes as the head of the Mississippi Mudcats Exploratory Committee.